Syrian President to visit Moscow, military cooperation open
Syrian President Hafez al-Assad will visit Moscow at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Boris Yeltsin in autumn.
The Russian ambassador in Damascus said on Wednesday that President Hafez al-Assad has accepted the invitation extended to him from President Yeltsin to visit Moscow. He elaborated that the aim of the visit, the first for President al-Assad in eight years, is to consolidate economic and trade relations.
The ambassador added that his country is not satisfied with the volume of trade between the two countries, which was US $150 million in 1997. He added that his country embarks on implementing oil and gas projects in Syria and agreements covering the fields of health, communications, transport, judicial cooperation and the exchange of criminals due to the increase in the numbers of the Syrian community in Russia, the Russian community in Syria and resident companies in the two countries.
He stressed that "military cooperation" will proceed, adding that "Moscow seeks to strengthen Syria's defense capabilities." But he denied reports of a deal for selling Russian S-300 missiles and armored vehicles to Syria.
He noted that large number of Russian military experts are in Syria, revealing that Syrian and Russian units carried out joint military exercises in Russia. He reiterated his country's readiness to cooperate with Syria in peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The Russian ambassador added that Syria's debts to Russia, estimated at US $10 billion as imports from the former Soviet Union, "do not hinder bilateral cooperation" in economic and military fields, noting that the two countries have reached an understanding on the volume of the debts.
On the political level, the Russian ambassador voiced support for Syria's position on resuming negotiations with Israel under the Madrid terms.
The Russian ambassador also voiced his country's support for the call advocated by France and Egypt to revive Middle East peace through an international peace conference.